Storage tank monitoring apparatus

Abstract

A storage tank monitoring apparatus includes a measurement device for determining a level of a stored substance within a storage tank. The measurement device is arranged to detect the presence of a second substance in the storage tank. A processor is arranged to generate a signal if the second substance is detected in the storage tank.

1 . A storage tank monitoring apparatus comprising; a measurement device for determining a level of a stored substance in a storage tank, said measurement device being arranged to detect the presence of a second substance in the storage tank; and a processor arranged to generate a signal if the second substance is detected in the storage tank. 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the measurement device includes a portion arranged to be located at a lower portion of a storage tank to detect the presence of the second substance. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the measurement device is coated with a compound that changes a property when the compound comes into contact with the second substance. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the property is a dielectric constant of the compound. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stored substance is a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second substance is water. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the compound is a water finding paste. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the measurement device is arranged to provide a signal indicative of the level of the stored substance within the storage tank at a first and a second instant in time; and the processor is arranged to calculate a rate of change of the level of the stored substance between the first and second instant in time, and indicate if the rate of change of the level of the stored substance exceeds a set predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined threshold is representative of leakage of the substance from the storage tank. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined threshold is set at about 1 liters/minute. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined threshold is representative of theft of the substance from the storage tank. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined threshold is set at about 5 liters/minute. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to indicate that the second substance is detected when a set predefined threshold indicative of a maximum working capacity of the storage tank is reached or exceeded. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor is arranged to generate a further indication when the predefined threshold is exceeded. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the predefined threshold is representative of the substance reaching a low limit in the storage tank. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predefined threshold is set at about 20% of the total capacity of the storage tank. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the predefined threshold is representative of the substance reaching an upper limit in the storage tank. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the predefined threshold is set at about 90% of the total capacity of the storage tank. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a user interface comprising audio and/or visual indicator representative of the level of the stored substance in the tank, leakage from the storage tank, theft from the storage tank, a high level, a low level and the presence of the second substance, or any combination thereof.